


Annoying Quest Partners

by LikeABulletThroughAFlockOfDoves



Category: No. 6 - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Monsters, Multi, Percy Jackson AU, Quests, kinda humour I guess, more like irony, stuff happens to demigods
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-05
Updated: 2016-06-01
Packaged: 2018-05-24 22:35:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6169288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LikeABulletThroughAFlockOfDoves/pseuds/LikeABulletThroughAFlockOfDoves
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A No. 6 Percy Jackson AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Son of Hades

Everyone avoided him. He hadn't really ever wanted anyone to talk to, he didn't remember a time that anyone wanted couldn't blame them. The whole son of Hades thing really creeped people out, to be honest.

He'd known the gods were real since he was a child. His mother... Well, more like his grandmother, his mother had died when he was very young. He couldn't help the twinge of guilt, knowing the gorgon had been after him instead of her. It was after her funeral that his grandmother had sat him down and explained everything. He remembered raging and crying at the knowledge that she'd known this since he was born, that they all had. It was a pathetic reaction that he recalled with shame.

Don't waste your tears on others. Another teaching of his grandmother's. One of the last things she'd told him before he left. According to the rumours, she'd died a few days after he left. He could tell it was another monster, he didn't need to be there to know. Being a child of the Big Three was a curse more than anything.

He was on the run for most of his young life. Not only did the mortal police want to put him in an orphanage or some other facility, but also the various monsters that chased him across the country. He never stayed more than a day anywhere, constantly walking away. Except for once.

A brown haired boy with kind eyes and a naïve mind. He remembered the odd boy's name, Shion. He'd helped Nezumi, patching up his wounds with an oddly excited look on his face. The demigod had almost felt guilty for leaving without saying goodbye, but he'd already spent too long there. He just hoped nothing bad has happened to the kid.

He'd arrived at Camp Half Blood about half a year later, and had lived there ever since. His combat skills were honed to that of a skilled assassin, his survival skills just as good. He'd never set out on a quest, perhaps because of his notorious rule breaking. He was quite famous throughout the camp for his bad language and negative attitude. In Nezumi's mind, there was no room for anyone else in his survival plan. They'd just get in the way.

Oh, how wrong he was.


	2. The Infirmary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shion the unknown half blood

"And this is where you'll stay, until you're claimed, that is." The boy was presented with a plain bed, soft sheets atop a soft mattress. But that wouldn't help him right then. He was confused and didn't know anyone around him.

"But what's happening?" He grabbed the person's arm, seeing their brown gaze turn on him with something akin to discomfort. Shaking off his hand, they shook their head of long brown hair.

"Alright kid, I'm not going to repeat myself again. The gods are real. You are the child of one. We don't know which. Monsters will try to kill you. That's why you're here, so we can protect you." Their voice softened at the last sentence, as well as their deep brown gaze. The boy wasn't as reassured as they probably wanted him to be, making him feel slightly guilty for the trouble he'd made for... Inukashi, that was their name.

They walked out of the room, leaving the boy to dump his bag on the bed, sitting with his head in his hands as he tried to comprehend the last few hours. There had been a lot of noise and then his mother told him they needed to go. His mother. He hoped she'd be okay, and wondered if he could make a phone call or send a letter or something from this place. They'd called it Camp Half Blood, a safe place for 'demigods', according to Inukashi. His head was starting to hurt as he drew his fingers away from where they'd been clenched in his white hair. It was fine being the new kid, but he knew he'd draw just as much attention through his appearance.

The snake-like scar winding around his body, his snowy hair and his violet eyes. The peculiar result of a disease even the doctors hadn't been able to identify. He sighed, opening his eyes. Time to get some fresh air.

The outside of the building was just as funny as the inside. It all looked... Rustic, but at the same time not. Through the trees, he could see many young teens of varying ages, performing tasks definitely on not on the right side of the health-and-safety list. There was a group of small kids flowing through the trees like squirrels, some older teens practising archery with stationary targets, and a group around his age sparring with swords that looked as though they were made of bronze.

He wandered towards the latter, curious as to the subtle movements and almost routine of the fights.

"Oi, watch out!" He turned in time to see a flurry of arrows ready to impale him, the archers locked in horror as they released the bowstrings. Great, not two minutes in and I'm already dead. He raised his arms to his face in a vain attempt to protect himself. With his eyes closed, it was a huge shock to land on the forest floor, winded and with someone crouching over him. He noticed the archers taking steps back, looking at the stranger like he was a dangerous wild animal.  
He looked up slowly, seeing the stranger glaring down at him as he muttered under his breath. He met the glare evenly, unable to prevent himself from admiring the silver gaze of the dark haired other. The boy looked around his own age, longish hair half tied, his bangs framing his pale face and illuminating his eyes.

"What are you, and airhead? Look where you're going." The stranger walked off rudely, changing his opinion of him in a matter of seconds. Shaking pine needles out of his hair, the boy got to his feet and apologised to the archers, skittering over to the sword fighters.

Someone was standing at the edge of the group, overseeing them with shouts of advice and encouragement. That person was also a centaur. He recognised Chiron, the camp director who'd been pointed out to him earlier. The man(?) turned to him, a wise smile on his face. His voice boomed out as he saw the boy.

"Shion! Come here and get yourself involved." He chucked the boy a chest plate, which fitted loosely around his thin frame. Next he was handed a sword, something that sit oddly in his hand and felt imbalanced. He was gently pushed into the fray, which he now recognised as paired work. New problem. He didn't have any friends here.

He backed away, making his way back to the edge of the group. Shion turned around as he was tapped on the shoulder. He met a pair of brown eyes, like the ones he used to have. Taking in the short hair and pretty face, he smiled in recognition.

"Safu! Wait, why are... What?" The girl shook her head, grinning as widely as he was.

"Grandmother told me not to tell you, I'm sorry. Daughter of Athena, at your service. Shall we practice?" She almost mocked him, and Shion smiled at the familiarity of having a friend at camp, unexpected as it was. He followed her onto the field, soon to find out how uncoordinated he really was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, look out for the next chapter cause Shion will find out who his godly parent is...
> 
> Thanks for reading!!


	3. Cabin Thirteen Is Bad News

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shion and Safu have a catchup of sorts.

Shion lay on the floor, breathing heavily and squinting at the triumphant Safu. The child of Athena gloated silently for another moment before extending a hand. She dragged him to his feet. He grinned at her, shaking plant matter out of his hair for the second time that day. Internally, he cursed his white hair for showing every bit of dirt that made its way into it.

They walked slowly to the cabins as the air cooled and the sun sank lower in the sky. The silence between them was comfortable, to which Shion was surprised as they hadn't seen each other in years. He was still struggling to get over the shock of it all - how he'd been a normal kid that morning and now he was supposedly some sort of demigod. _I wonder who my dad is..._

Just as he thought it, Safu spoke. "So, haven't been claimed yet?" He smiled to himself, enjoying the familiarity of her uncanny ability to speak his thoughts. He shook his head, recalling his knowledge of the Ancient Greek gods.

"No..." He swapped his smile for a frown, wondering who on earth it could be. He couldn't think of anything strange happening. He knew he'd always been an odd child, but he didn't remember anything that would stand out against another's behaviour. Safu, meanwhile, gazed at him thoughtfully, then shrugged.

"Hmm... Guess we'll have to wait and see." She said, continuing to give him a tour of the camp. She pointed out each cabin, from Zeus to Hades to another that she had trouble pronouncing properly. The white haired boy gazed curiously at the dark obsidian walls of cabin thirteen. He thought back to the boy who'd saved him from the archer earlier, wondering which cabin the boy resided in. He still didn't like him after the rude way he left Shion in the middle of the forest. _Talk about lack of manners._.. He felt embarrassment creep up on him as he thought of how careless he'd been. He'd made a fool of himself, and he already stuck out enough with his white hair and scar. Of course I'd embarrass myself on my first day... He groaned internally as he followed Safu to the tables for dinner.

Since he hadn't been claimed, he was allowed to sit with his friend. She informed him on how everyone sat in tables according to their godly parent. Most of the long tables were filled with a decent amount of kids, with the two at one end standing empty. He noticed the lone figure at the table next to the empty ones, recognising him as the boy from earlier that day. Shion tapped Safu on the shoulder.

"Who's that?" The girl frowned in disapproval.

"That's Nezumi, Hades cabin. Don't get involved with him Shion, he's dangerous." The white haired boy frowned.

"Why? Just because his dad's Lord of the underworld?" Safu shook her head quickly, eyes wide.

"No. There's been good kids from cabin thirteen. Hazel Levesque, Nico di Angelo, both involved with the Seven." Shion stared at her, confused. But his brunette friend simply kept talking, still eyeing Nezumi warily. "And it's not like kids of the Big Three are necessarily bad news, I mean, look at Percy, but..." She sighed. "They say he arrived her young, and that a hoard of monsters followed him. The mortals even tried to arrest him for arson." Shion knit his eyebrows. Safu turned to him urgently. "Shion, promise me you'll stay away from Nezumi."

He looked at the son of death for a moment longer. "I promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I promise something more exciting next chapter - Shion will be claimed...
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	4. Claimed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shion gets claimed, but by whom?

As Shion watched the Athena children laugh and chat and joke, he couldn't repress a tiny twinge of pity for the raven haired boy sitting at the Hades table. It must be lonely sitting alone at mealtimes, especially if no one talks to you anyway.... He wondered how long Nezumi had been at camp. If it'd been since he was a small child, he must feel incredibly lonely by now. Shion was half tempted to get up and approach the other boy.

But he promised Safu.

Instead, he turned his attention back to the people in front of him. He noticed how out of place his friend looked, with her dark hair and eyes such a bold contrast to her siblings' blond hair and grey eyes. He sat quietly before noticing they, and others from various other tables, turning to stare at him. He tried not to cower where he sat, uncomfortable in the new attention. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Nezumi watching him discreetly. He saw many eyes turned to him and started to panic slightly when Safu tapped him on the shoulder.

"Look up, you've been claimed." She watched him proudly, with a small hint of surprise. Shion noticed the reddish glow surrounding him, looking up to see a symbol floating above him. He couldn't tell clearly, but it appeared to be a sort of weapon. He looked back at Safu, nervous panic still rising in his heart.

"W-who?"

"Ares." The girl grinned at him as though he'd won an award. Shion certainly didn't feel proud of himself. The God of War? _But I hate violence_...

"S-Safu? What happens now?" His friend didn't get the chance to answer as a group of scary looking people approached him from a table close to the Athena one. Someone clapped him on the shoulder and people congratulated him on his claiming. He squirmed slightly.

"Shion, these are your siblings. You'll stay with them now." He didn't say anything as he was dragged away by the other Ares kids.

-

The Ares cabin was big, filled with weapons and **loud**. Shion had been paraded past the tables with the rowdy kids he had been told were his siblings. It was a big understatement to say he felt out of place. The other children of war were loud, mostly obnoxious, and amazing fighters who weren't afraid to use violence. Then came Shion - small, skinny, bookworm.

Strange. That was the word he would have used to describe himself. Since he contracted a rare disease, his appearance had been altered and he had always stuck out of the crowd. Not to mention the amount of times he'd been called forgetful, careless, told he didn't take life seriously enough. He always frowned when it was said. He took life very seriously, he just got a little overexcited sometimes.

_I suppose that's why Safu's the only friend who stayed_.

He wondered if there had been a mistake, there was no way he fitted in with the fierce offspring of the God of war. He grit his teeth. There couldn't be a mistake, it was the gods of Ancient Greece for crying out loud.

_If there wasn't a mistake, then_...

-

He sat on his new bed, watching as the cabin bustled with the morning sunlight. Everyone seemed eager to get going, shouting and talking and generally being as loud as humanly possible.

Shion stayed where he was, still in his pyjamas. He didn't want to change with this many people. He knew the questions that would follow - 'How'd you get that scar?' and 'Why do you look funny?' And of course, the reactions. Many times had he been called _freak_ and numerous other insults. Shion didn't blame the other kids, people have a natural fear of the unknown. But it still got to him.

He knew it shouldn't, that he should ignore what people said about something he couldn't control. But he couldn't help it, the words hurt, a constant reminder of how he would always be different. Not that normal had ever really been an option.

He looked up, seeing the last few stragglers leaving the cabin, a couple waving goodbye to him with offers of training sessions together later. He smiled and nodded, offering a small wave in return. When they had finally left, he stood up, pulling a fresh t shirt and jeans from the chest of draws by his bed. He noticed that there were only bright orange t shirts with the words "Camp Half-Blood" emblazoned across the front. He grimaced, knowing how awful the colour would look on him. But he pulled the clothes on anyway, heading out into the sunlight.

-

"Shion, look out!" One of the other kids - Dan, if he remembered correctly - warned as a volley of spikes flew out of the wall. Shion ducked, hands over his head as he watched the thorn-like spikes pierce the solid brick wall with alarming ease. As soon as the shots stopped, he crawled forwards, calling a quick 'thanks!' back to Dan.

The training arena was a lot more dangerous than Shion had expected. So far he'd jumped across a snake pit, been almost knocked out by falling through a trapdoor and very narrowly avoided being set on fire, amongst other things. He currently dove past another trap, feeling proud to have spotted and avoided it.

However, as he landed he realised he'd misjudged his leap, landing heavily against the opposite wall. He felt the air being knocked out of his lungs and groaned in pain. A passing teen held out a hand to him. He blinked blearily, seeing it was the son of Hades he'd seen last night. He shook his head, remembering his promise to Safu not to get involved with Nezumi. The boy shrugged and sprinted off as Shion pulled himself to his feet. _Besides, I need to do this on my own, I can't have anyone do it for me._

He set off down the track, jumping over a brook and skittering off to he end of the arena. He felt his snowy hair sticking to his forehead with sweat as he skidded to a halt. A couple of other kids stood at the finish, flashing him friendly smiles as he tried to regain his breath. He attempted to smile back when someone ran up behind him, giving him a friendly tap on the shoulder. He turned a little too quickly, almost falling over his own feet in the process. Safu grabbed his wrist and pulled him back onto his feet before he hit the ground. She grinned at him.

"Having fun?" He rolled his eyes lightheartedly.

"Well, I haven't died yet." Safu giggled and they wandered out of the arena. She was also wearing the camp's signature orange shirt. Shion figured he couldn't be the only one who didn't suit the colour. It raised his spirits slightly to be laughing with his old best friend. He didn't feel as though they'd ever really separated. Apart from the whole gods and monsters thing, of course. A new thought occurred to him.

"Hey Safu, why did the authorities- um, mortals," He corrected himself. "Why did Nezumi- Why the arson charge?" He eventually got the words out in some sort of order. Safu's smile instantly dropped, her brown gaze becoming something akin to dangerous.

"There are rumours, that's all I have," She didn't look at him the whole time she spoke. "They say that his whole family died in a fire, that he was found standing outside the house just watching it. And when the police arrived... He ran away."

Shion listened in silence, thinking. Hadn't she said Nezumi had arrived young? Any small child would probably run from the police if they'd seen their house burning. He wasn't sure why, but he wanted desperately to believe that Nezumi was t as bad as they said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot twist - Shion is an Ares child
> 
> Hope you liked it!


	5. Capture the Flag

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't let Shion make strategies. Nezumi learns this the hard way...

He walked to the lake, having finally found somewhere in the camp that wasn't constantly filled with chattering teenagers. Shion relished in the cold breeze blowing off the water, with a rising sense of having to scream. He frowned, wondering where the sudden urge had come from. He kept walking, to bothered by the thought to look where he was going.

_It's probably just the built up frustration of the last few days..._

He was ashamed to say he let out an audible squeak when he walked into something. Or rather, someone. He reeled back, blinking as he hit his back on a tree.

_Great job, Shion. Walk into a person then straight into a tree._

He raised a hand to rub the spot where the back of his head had hit the tree. He winced as the ache increased when he touched it.

"You're really an airhead, you know." Shion looked up a little too quickly, giving him a dizzy sensation that made him glad he had the tree behind him. Before him was none other than the silver eyed son of Hades. Nezumi was smirking at him, as though he couldn't believe someone could be so clumsy as to ricochet off a person into a tree. And yet, there Shion was, having done exactly that. He scowled.

"As I've gathered." Nezumi looked as though his smirk almost turned into a smile at Shion's annoyed demeanour. The white haired boy's heart lightened inexplicably. The other boy started to walk away before Shion could add anything to his remark. He bit back calling out to Nezumi, remembering what Safu had said to him earlier. Before he could do anything, however, the son of death turned to him.

"What's your name?" The white haired boy repressed a smile.

"Shion." Nezumi smiled, genuinely this time.

"Well, see ya, Shion."

-

They had parted ways at the lake shore. Shion stood watching the water's lazy rippling in the gentle breeze. He wasn't sure what to make of the son of Hades. Everyone seemed convinced that he was dangerous. Yet, so far, he'd only shown care for Shion's safety towards the boy.

He sighed. Just another question to add to the many he'd picked up since he arrived at Camp Half-Blood. He watched the opposite side of the lake, seeing Chiron walking with a group of students, pointing out things Shion couldn't see.

_Why can't I work it out?_

-

A horn had rang out across the camp, a signal for all the demigod residents to gather in the main playing field. Shion wasn't sure why it was called that, when it was usually used for battle recreation and other similar activities. Nevertheless, he lingered beside Safu as more and more people filed onto the grass.

He looked around, spotting Nezumi waving away the person who'd showed Shion around the first time. Inukashi looked as though they were thoroughly enjoying annoying the son of Hades, who was radiating a darker aura than usual.

_Huh. I didn't notice that before._

Indeed, the boy was quite literally making the air around himself darker. Most of the other campers avoided the pair as they continued to argue with each other. They only stopped when Chiron called everyone to attention.

"Alright, campers. It's this week's Capture the Flag tournament." Almost everyone cheered, save Shion and Nezumi. Whilst Shion didn't have a clue what the game was - except the fact it involved capturing flags, of course - he assumed that Nezumi wasn't the type to show his excitement, at least, in front of others.

The teens were quickly sorted into teams. The Ares kids had the Athena, Apollo and Demeter children on their side, with the rest as the opposition. Since it was term time, there weren't as many campers as in the summer holidays, which Shion was almost glad for. He knew there would be more intimidating figures when the schools broke up for the season. He followed Safu as she picked up a couple of chest plates, shields and swords. As soon as each team had adorned their helmets with the team's colour on their plume, a new voice rang out. Shion turned to see a rather plump, middle aged man standing next to Chiron, holding a glass of what looked like diet cola. He nudged Safu as she watched the man.

"Who's that?"

"Dionysus, but he prefers the alias Rikiga. He's on probation for Zeus so he helps out here." Shion frowned.

"That doesn't make any sense." Safu shrugged, not turning her gaze away from the wine god.

"What can you do?" He murmured something in agreement before turning back to Rikiga. He quickly, and rather halfheartedly, Shion thought, explained the rules. No one was to be mortally wounded, no cheating, the whole nine yards. Shion managed to gather that both teams would be responsible for hiding and guarding their flag, plus trying to capture the opposition's one at the same time. Then the teams were sent into a sort of huddle and Shion found himself between two of the Apollo kids. Their corn coloured hair gave off a sunny radiance, as though they glowed in the evening light.

"Alright, since Shion's less experienced with fighting, we'll leave him to guard the flag with us protecting him." He spluttered in protest but the other teens didn't listen, continuing to plan out their strategy. Shion resigned himself to the knowledge that the Athena kids would probably leave him in a strategically perfect place away from the fighting. He sighed, patting Safu's shoulder as a gesture of good luck as he carried the flag away.

-

The other Ares children had been sent to capture the blue flag, with the Athena and Apollo children roaming the red territory in the hopes of preventing anyone reaching Shion. He had waved off the last few people quite a while ago and hadn't seen anyone since. He supposed they'd send a signal flare or something if the red team won.

He paced by the flag, the sword in his hand feeling heavy. He didn't want to accidentally hurt anyone. He ran his fingers over the smooth metal blade, watching the reflection of the sky in its celestial bronze surface. He supposed that, in a way, it was quite a beautiful weapon. It was perfectly balanced in his hand, the tapered point elegant, razor sharp and precise. The hilt was engraved with Ancient Greek, words which unraveled themselves as Shion read the sword's name.

_Hurricane_.

He smiled. He loved storms, he always had. Nature had so much power - it could wipe out a human city with just the force of the wind. The crash of thunder and the flash of lightning sparking between sheets of rain whose noise drowned out everything. Again, Shion felt the need to scream and shout.

He pushed it down, not wanting to draw attention to his location. The red banner flickered in the edge of his vision. It was the colour of blood, a colour Shion knew well from all the time he'd spent in hospital. He tried not to look at it as he scanned the forest for signs of the blue team, the scarlet material dug up memories he'd rather forget. The hospital had been terrifying for Shion. He felt trapped, as though they were the enemy, not the disease but the doctors. It was all white coats and stern words spoken when they thought he couldn't hear them. He shivered.

Something moved behind him and Shion spun around, his sword held up defensively. He frowned and relaxed his stance upon seeing Nezumi, adorned in the blue team's colours, reaching for the flag. The dark haired boy smirked.

"An airhead doesn't make a good guard, apparently." Shion scowled. The son of Hades made to take the flag, but the Ares child jumped between him and the scarlet material. Nezumi looked surprised for a fraction of a second, before returning to his default bored expression. His silver gaze bored into Shion's and the boy found himself battling to keep his sword steady. He'd never been all that good at confrontation.

"You're not getting the flag." He hated how shaky his voice was. Nezumi laughed.

"Oh really?" He moved so fast that the smaller teen didn't have time to react. Before he knew it, Shion's sword was lying at his feet and the son of Hades was behind him. Shion stooped, picking it up swiftly and pulling Nezumi to face him. The boy glared at him fiercely, but Shion gave his best laugh of defiance and ran off, taking Nezumi with him.

"What are you doing?" The son of death asked scathingly as the white haired boy continued to run, Nezumi's wrist gripped tightly in his fingers. He miraculously managed not to trip over the snaking tree roots of the forest. He crashed through the undergrowth, yelling a quick apology as he pulled Nezumi through a patch of thorns. The other boy hissed in pain as the needle sharp barbs scratched his skin.

The blood pounded in Shion's ears and his heart beat wildly as they raced through the trees. He grinned as he saw their destination ahead. The pebbles crunched and skittered as they flew over them. The wood of the dock creaked as both ran over. Nezumi seemed to guess what was about to happen, letting out a yell as Shion stopped abruptly, and the older boy's momentum carried him off the pier. Shion grinned triumphantly. And then he too hit the water.

Nezumi, in anticipation of the fall, had grabbed the straps of Shion's armour and pulled him down with him. The boy hit the freezing water having been jerked around and going in back first. The lake ropippled as the two disappeared for a moment, the force of the fall taking them deeper into its green depths and towards the weeds at the bottom. Shion kicked his way to the surface, opening his eyes just a little to see Nezumi doing he same. He burst into the significantly warmer evening air. Nezumi surfaced next to him, long hair hiding his eyes as it dripped water down his face.

Both splashed in the chilly water, gasping as the cold flooded over them. Shion waved his arms frantically, panicking as the water swept over his shoulders and around his neck. In the shock of the fall, he seemed to have forgotten all his swimming skills. Water flooded into his lungs as he attempted to breathe. He felt himself going under again when something caught his waist, bringing him to the surface again.

He spluttered, coughing up plenty of lake water and noticing a new ache in his head. He was pulled towards the shore by the arm around his waist, which he barely registered to be Nezumi. Relief replaced water, washing over him. As they drew closer to the pebble bank, he let his feet hold him up and stumbled out of the lake. As he collapsed on the grass beyond the pebbles, he felt Nezumi slump beside him. The two press's together, sharing their body heat as the cold of the water set in, making both shiver.

"W-what the hell?" Nezumi said between gasps.

"S-s-sorry." Shion was shivering too violently to speak properly. "I didn't know it would be so c-cold." He felt Nezumi shake beside him and turned, wondering if his shivers had been renewed. Then he realised the other boy was laughing. "What?" The indignation in his tone only made the son of Hades laugh harder.

"You just... You just threw us in the lake... What kind of battle strategy is that?" Shion elbowed him gently, starting to giggle himself.

"Hey, you dragged me with you. It wasn't supposed to end like that. I was meant to stay dry, for one." Nezumi broke out in full laughter. It was the first positive emotion Shion had ever seen the boy display openly. He felt his own laughter rising as the dark aura the other emitted shrank and disappeared.

They laughed until the sun was touching the horizon, the sky stained a pretty array of pastel colours. Only then did they hear a long note from the horn that signalled the end of the game. Both were still soaked in lake water, but Shion felt a lot warmer having sat with Nezumi on the bank.

-

As he rejoined the red team, Shion noticed Nezumi had disappeared from his side. He smiled as Safu greeted him, trying to push away a certain emptiness now that the taller boy wasn't there.

"Shion, what happened?" He looked down at his soaked clothes. He didn't have the energy to recount his ridiculous plan to Safu, knowing she'd only question his logic. Plus, another part of him didn't want to. He wasn't sure why, but part of his mind didn't want to share how open he and Nezumi had been with each other, how they'd laughed like old friends.

"It's a long story."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok that was weird, but I hope you liked it!
> 
> Thanks for reading!! ^^


	6. The Oracle's Word

"Oi, whatsyaname!" Shion's eyes widened as a small hand caught his shoulder completely out of the blue. He span around, rather pleased with his now heightened reflexes. He'd been at Camp Half Blood for two weeks now, and his training was beginning to show results.  
Inukashi stood behind him, smiling as slyly as ever. Shion relaxed as soon as he saw them, smiling back almost immediately.

"Hello, Inukashi. It's Shion, by the way." He reminded them gently. Inukashi waved him off, looping an arm around his shoulders and walking off with him. Shion had to bend down slightly, the other was rather a lot shorter than him. Inukashi was a Hermes child, known for their ability to escape quickly and their excellent skill as a spy. Not to mention the pack of dogs ready at their command. One of them followed the pair now, a pretty brown labrador that had taken a liking to Shion.

"The puppies came!" Shion looked confused, eliciting a sharp laugh from Inukashi.

"What puppies?"

"My dogs' ones, airhead!"

"Really!?" The conversation came flooding back to Shion. He'd been chatting with Inukashi as they were both in the infirmary - Shion to help the doctors out, Inukashi for a nasty cut that they were _not_ overreacting about ("I'm gonna die!!"). The Hermes child had informed Shion of the puppies, inviting him to see them when they were born. He assumed that was where they were going now.

True to his thoughts, he was dragged behind the Pegasus stables, towards a bed of hay that he guessed had formerly belonged inside the stables. On the bed was a muddy coloured dog, her beige puppies like little furry beans at her stomach. Shion giggled as he petted their tiny backs, making them squirm and emit small squeaks that Shion couldn't deny were extremely cute. He didn't even care that Inukashi was snickering from behind him. He felt his cheeks aching from the huge grin that he hadn't dropped since he set eyes on the puppies.

"You really are an airhead, huh?" He froze as he heard a familiar voice. Inukashi growled and the mother dog lifted her head in a hostile manner. Nezumi laughed mockingly. "What is it, Inukashi? Scared of death?"

Shion turned around, meeting the ~~beautiful~~  silver stare evenly. "That's not very nice, you know." Nezumi smirked.

"We've all been called to the Big House, by the way. Besides, I don't care. This mutt is all bark and no bite." He took a step towards Inukashi, snickering as they flinched and stepped back. Shion narrowed his eyes in a disapproving glare.

"Come on, let's go."

-

"Shion, come inside. We need to talk." Chiron and Rikiga ushered him over. The white haired boy felt his alarm bells starting to ring. Whilst Chiron was usually wise and calm, he'd almost never seen Rikiga serious before.

He followed them past the entire camp population, seeing some of his siblings staring at him questioningly. He shrugged, walking faster to keep up with the centaur in front of him. They entered the Big House, walking into the drawing room. Seymour the magic leopard head gave a grumbling growl, as if uncomfortable with the situation. Rikiga sat at the large desk, Chiron standing with his arms crossed beside it. The centaur motioned to the chair opposite the desk and Shion sat reluctantly.

He held his hands in his lap, intertwining his fingers and shifting in his apprehension. The gazes of both Rikiga and Chiron rested on him, making him feel as though a coat of lead was weighing down in his shoulders. He tried to focus on the furniture of the room - it old American look, all dark wood and brass. Rikiga sighed quite suddenly, making Shion's eyes dart up.

"I understand you and miss Safu of the Athena cabin are very close?" Chiron took over before Rikiga could speak. Shion looked between the two, watching the guarded expressions carefully.

"Yes, she's my best friend. Might I ask why?" The two heads of the camp sighed together and Shion's anxiety level shot through the roof.

"There's been an... incident." Rikiga glanced at Chiron and the centaur placed a gentle hand on Shion's shoulder.

"Look, Shion, Safu has gone ...missing and, well, there's been a message from the oracle. There's to be a quest to save your friend. She's named her victors." Chiron rumbled. The Ares child felt fear and grief well up inside him. He had talked to Safu that morning, as they walked to their classes. They'd been laughing together, talking and joking and now she was gone. It can't be real, it can't be real.

"Shion!" He realised he'd closed his eyes, hands drawn up to his temples. Rikiga and Chiron were watching him with concern. He returned to his normal sitting position, pushing back the tears that threatened to engulf him.

"Sorry. Please, tell me how to save her." Rikiga and Chiron shared yet another glance. Shion watched carefully, trying to guess what was coming next. There was hesitation in both his teachers' eyes, plus something he couldn't read. But they seemed to come to an agreement, turning back to him.

"We will retrieve your quest partner, please wait in here." So he was going on the quest. It was a small relief. The two gave him a nod each before exiting the room.

Shion sat very still. The room was silent after the last clip-clopping of Chiron's hooves died away. Seymour the leopard chuffed and closed his eyes, seemingly falling asleep. The demigod spared him a glance before returning his gaze to his hand, which were folded in his lap. He couldn't quite believe it. Safu was gone, taken by who-knows-what to who-knows-where. And they left Shion, who'd been at Camp Half-Blood for two weeks, to save her. He only hoped his quest partner was experienced and would have some clue of how to set about saving his best friend. He sighed, rubbing his eyes with his fingers.

"Well, there's no use feeling sorry for yourself." He muttered to himself. "We'll get her back. No matter what." ~~~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a while since I updated... But there we are, the actual plot is here at last! 
> 
> I hope you liked it

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! Hope you liked it! 
> 
> Next chapter will be longer, plus more characters.


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